Solargraphs

How to create 3 - 6 month exposures with your drink can camera.

My thanks to Tarja Trygg in Finland for the following information - idea. Please have a look at www.solargraphy.com for examples.

Much of pinhole photography relates to the wonder of time and being creative with the light from the sun, a similar wonder of that found in astronomy.
A 3 or 6-month exposure will enable you to image the arc of the sun as it rises or sinks throughout 3 months of the year. As well as this you will get some foreground detail and a camera to look at with awe as a small hole etches its 3-month exposure from your window ledge, garden shed, tree etc.
Being able to capture a period of time far beyond our own vision is incredible enough, but even more amazing is how simple it is to do. All you need is a computer scanner and 3 months.

How to do it.

Put photographic paper into a drink can camera, Instructions on my home page. (It may be worth blacking out the base of the can with some black paint or insulation - gaffer tape to avoid internal reflections from the base).

Cover the lid with loads of gaffer tape (to keep out the rain, snow, sleet, lightening etc).

Find a position pointing towards the Sun. South in the Northern Hemisphere, North in the Southern Hemisphere (I suppose!). Although a window ledge is fine, choose a nice view if possible, but make sure it is well out of reach of enthusiastic street cleaners! It's going to be exposing for some time, day and night.

Chose a date to start the exposure. (Tarja likes to begin on an equinox or solstice and end 3 months later).
Fix the camera in position well. It needs to cope with all that 3 months of natures elements can throw at it. I find a healthy mix of gaffer tape and cable ties works quite well. Gluing a pencil onto the side will help to keep the camera steady if fixed to a circular object such as a lamppost.

Peel the sticker off, go inside and write down on your calendar when you will stop the exposure.
Stare at it from time to time thinking things like, "I wonder what is going on in there".

After 3 months place the tape shutter onto the hole and bring the camera back home after its long ordeal. (OK, its not exactly the Shackleton expedition I know but by now it probably needs a rest!)

The Clever bit.

1. Switch off the light in your computer room.
2. Scan in a 5x7 piece of blank paper (so the scanner knows the area to scan).
3. Set the scanner on a highish resolution (500dpi is good for 5x7)
4. Take the photo paper out of the can camera and ,,,,,,without developing it (Told you it was clever!),,,,,, place it into the scanner and press scan.
5. Save the negative image on your computer.
6. After scanning place the undeveloped print into a box entitled 'scanned paper negs'.
7. Open up Photoshop. Image > Inverse > Flip horizontal and play around with the contrast and brightness.
8. Show off to your mate in the pub after he has shown you his photos of the Seychelles!

Please be aware that I am still experimenting with this technique and due to the absurdly long exposure times it'll take a bit of time before I suss out all variables of results.